Resources

We believe that problem solving is for everyone, not just a stretch activity for the highest attainers. To supports teachers to embed problem solving consistently and effectively in classroom practice we have developed a framework that broadens the range of problem-solving experiences available to pupils.

 

We identified three broad characteristics of questions and activities as especially valuable. Rather than requiring all these forms of challenge simultaneously, problem solving activities may focus on particular aspects of mathematical thinking while keeping others straightforward.  

 

Valuable characteristics of problem solving include questions or activities that require pupils to:

1. identify and use underlying mathematical structure

2. constrain possibilities and work systematically

3. explain or justify their thinking

 

These characteristics are not exhaustive or mutually exclusive; the richest activities often combine two or more. You can read more about our framework for problem solving and reasoning.

 

Our pilot resources exemplify how these characteristics can be used to design questions to develop or reveal pupil understanding. The resources are freely available to anyone who may find them useful.

 

Each pack contains a series of tasks to be used with pupils, linked to the relevant National Curriculum content statement, alongside answers.

 

We have grouped tasks into the following age phases. Click below to access the resources.